Nemesia plant named ‘Nemrowhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Nemrowhi’, characterized by its compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; and numerous violet and white bi-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Nemesia caerula cultivarNemrowhi.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesiaplant, botanically known as Nemesia caerula and referred to by the name‘Nemrowhi’.

The new Nemesia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Auckland, New Zealand. The objective of the program isto create new compact Nemesia cultivars with numerous flowers and uniqueflower colors.

The new Nemesia originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor of aproprietary Nemesia caerula selection identified as code number 651/07,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Nemesiacaerula selection identified as code number 682/01, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent on Oct. 5, 1999. The cultivar Nemrowhi wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inAuckland, New Zealand on Apr. 2, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Auckland, New Zealand since April, 2000, hasshown that the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and arereproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Nemesia has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Nemrowhi’ and distinguish‘Nemrowhi’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Numerous violet and white bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia are more compact and more uniform in planthabit than plants of the parent selections. In addition, plants of thenew Nemesia and the male parent selection differ in flower coloration asplants of the male parent selection have pink and white bi-coloredflowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the cultivarInnkapink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,660. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Auckland, New Zealand, plants of the newNemesia differed from plants of the cultivar Innkapink in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more upright than plants of        the cultivar Innkapink.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia and the cultivar Innkapink differed        in flower color as plants of the cultivar Innkapink had        pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Nemesia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Nemesia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Nemrowhi’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘Nemrowhi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif., in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the spring with day temperaturesabout 24° C., night temperatures about 19° C. and light levels about4,000 foot-candles. Plants were grown for 15 weeks in one-galloncontainers with three plants per container. Plants were pinched onceabout five weeks after planting. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia caerula cultivar Nemrowhi.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Nemesia caerula selection            identifies as code number 651/07, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Nemesia caerula selection            identifies as code number 682/01, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at 15° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 33 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 35 days at 15° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Compact, upright and somewhat outwardly            spreading plant habit. Freely branching, typically about six            primary laterals with numerous secondary laterals developing            after pinching. Numerous violet and white bi-colored            zygomorphic flowers. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 29 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread, single plant.—About 18 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Appearance: Square in cross-section; wiry.            Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length:            About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong; rigid. Texture: Glabrous.            Color: 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse to slightly attenuate.            Length: About 2.7 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Margin: Serrate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth.            Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Petiole length: About            2.5 mm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Color: Developing and            fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 146A. Developing and            fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 146B. Venation, upper            surface: 146A. Venation, lower surface: 146B. Petiole, upper            and lower surfaces: 146B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Zygomorphic and personate solitary            flowers arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally            towards apex. Flowers bilabiate with nectar spur. Flowers            face mostly outward. Flowers last about five days on the            plant. Flowers not persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Natural flowering season is spring            to fall; flowering continuous during this period.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering with about 16 flowers            and flower buds per raceme at one time.        -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet floral.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 14 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Flower height.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower width.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower depth, including nectar spur.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Nectar spur length.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid with spur. Length: About 9 mm.            Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: 85B.        -   Petals.—Arrangement/shape: Five petals total. Four upper            petals are fused at base to form an upright lobed and arched            banner lip; lower petal modified into a larger lip with            nectar spur and convex oval protuberance which serves as            pollinator nectar guide and landing platform. Apex: Rounded.            Margin: Entire. Length: Upper lip petals: About 6 mm. Lower            lip petal: About 7 mm. Width: Upper lip petals: Lateral two            petals: About 6 mm. Center two petals: About 3 mm. Lower lip            petal: About 9 mm. Texture: Smooth, velvety. Color: When            opening, upper lip petals, upper surface: 77B; towards the            base, 83B. When opening, lower lip petal, upper surface:            69C. When opening, all petals, lower surface: 69A. Fully            opened, upper lip petals, upper surface: 85A; towards the            base, 86A; color becoming closer to 85C to 85D to nearly            white with development. Fully opened, lower lip petal, upper            surface: 155D tinged with 85C; color becoming white, close            to 155D, with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 85C            to 85D. Nectar guide, when opening: 5A. Nectar guide, fully            opened: 14A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: Five-parted, star-shaped calyx. Shape:            Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Length:            About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146B.        -   Peduncle.—Length: About 4 to 5.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to 45° from the stem.            Color: 144A.        -   Pedicel.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.            Strength: Slender, but hold flowers outward. Angle: About            45° from the stem. Color: 144A.        -   Androecium.—Stamen number: Four per flower. Anther shape:            Oval. Anther size: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 12A. Amount            of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: One per flower. Pistil length:            About 2 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 157C.            Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 157C. Ovary color:            145A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed            on plants of the new Nemesia.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Nemesias.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 4° to 32° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant named ‘Nemrowhi’, asillustrated and described.